The Chinese Lady: Afong Moy in Early America

Author:   Nancy E. Davis (curator emeritus, curator emeritus, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution)
Publisher:   Oxford University Press Inc
ISBN:  

9780190645236


Pages:   296
Publication Date:   18 July 2019
Format:   Hardback
Availability:   To order   Availability explained
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The Chinese Lady: Afong Moy in Early America


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Overview

In 1834, a young Chinese woman named Afong Moy arrived in America, her bound feet stepping ashore in New York City. She was both a prized guest and advertisement for a merchant firm--a promotional curiosity used to peddle exotic wares from the East. Over the next few years, she would shape Americans' impressions of China even as she assisted her merchant sponsors in selling the largest quantities of Chinese goods yet imported for the burgeoning American market. Americans views of the exotic Far East in this early period before Chinese immigration were less critical than they would later become. Afong Moy became a subject of poetry, a trendsetter for hair styles and new fashions, and a lucky name for winning racehorses. She met Americans face to face in cities and towns across the country, appearing on local stages to sell and to entertain. Yet she also moved in high society, and was the first Chinese guest to be welcomed to the White House. However, this success was not to last. As her novelty wore off, Afong Moy was cast aside by her managers. Though concerned public citizens rallied in support, her fame dwindled and she spent several years in a New Jersey almshouse. In the late 1840s, P.T. Barnum offered Afong Moy several years of promising renewal as the compatriot of Tom Thumb, yet this stint too was short-lived. In this first biography, Nancy E. Davis sheds light on the mystery of Afong Moy's life as a Chinese woman living in a foreign land.

Full Product Details

Author:   Nancy E. Davis (curator emeritus, curator emeritus, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution)
Publisher:   Oxford University Press Inc
Imprint:   Oxford University Press Inc
Dimensions:   Width: 16.70cm , Height: 2.60cm , Length: 24.30cm
Weight:   0.648kg
ISBN:  

9780190645236


ISBN 10:   0190645237
Pages:   296
Publication Date:   18 July 2019
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   To order   Availability explained
Stock availability from the supplier is unknown. We will order it for you and ship this item to you once it is received by us.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments Introduction Part One: Setting the Stage 1. The Cast 2. Behind the Scenes Part Two: The Show 3. The Curtain Rises 4. Afong Moy Presents Chinese Objects for the Person 5. Afong Moy Presents Chinese Objects for the Home Part Three: On Tour 6. New York to Charleston 7. Return to the North 8. Cuba and Up the Mississippi River Part Four: Finale 9. Off Stage 10. The Final Act Epilogue Notes Selected Bibliography Index

Reviews

Intriguing and authoritative, The Chinese Lady examines themes from the turbulent nineteenth century, including the rise of the middle class, the development of American nationalism and race theory, and the effects of unregulated banking and land speculation. These notions are masterfully reflected in the melancholy tale of an immigrant cast aside in the whirlwind. - Foreword Reviews


"""Davis's book is not only a triumph of historical scholarship and storytelling, but also a surprisingly human story that restores to Afong Moy much of the dignity her handlers, managers, and audiences denied her."" -- G. Patrick O'Brien, Kennesaw State University, H-Net ""Intriguing and authoritative, The Chinese Lady examines themes from the turbulent nineteenth century, including the rise of the middle class, the development of American nationalism and race theory, and the effects of unregulated banking and land speculation. These notions are masterfully reflected in the melancholy tale of an immigrant cast aside in the whirlwind.""- Foreword Reviews"


Author Information

Nancy E. Davis is curator emeritus of Home and Community Life at the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. She has worked as a public historian in local, state, and national museums for more than forty years. Her research in museums and as a lecturer has frequently addressed aspects of Asian influence on American culture.

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